Crude oil prices rose to nine-month highs in Asian trade today as investors kept a wary eye on the worsening situation in Iraq.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for July delivery jumped 35 cents to US Dollar 107.26 a barrel in late-morning trade, while Brent crude for August gained 44 cents to US Dollar 112.90.The crisis in Iraq has a direct bearing on crude prices because Iraq is the second-biggest oil exporter in the 12-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after Saudi Arabia.Iraq has proven crude reserves of 140.3billion barrels, and 3.158 trillion cubic metres of natural gas, according to cartel figures.